Commissioner Linda Morse

Elected Position

Linda Morse was elected to the Manhattan City Commission for a four-year term in April 2015 and re-elected in November 2019 for another four-year term. She served as Mayor from September 2017 through November 2018 and is serving as Mayor again in calendar year 2022.

Biography

Linda is a Kansas native and has lived in Manhattan for more than 40 years. She is the proud mother of two sons, Mike and Todd. Mike is a plan reviewer for the City of Grand Rapids, Mich., and served 16 years on the city council for the city of Kentwood. Todd is a behavioral intervention coach in the Anchorage school district. Linda has four grandchildren.

She was employed at Kansas State University for nearly 40 years. For the last 28 years, she served as registrar for distance education and non-credit programs and retired in July 2013.

Linda continues to serve the community in the following roles:

  • North Central Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging (AAA) — Board of Directors, 2014-2020; 2022-Present and Public Housing Committee Chair, 2015-2020; 2022-present
  • Flint Hills Regional Council - Manhattan's representative, 2017-present; Treasurer 2018-present
  • Manhattan Housing Authority Board of Directors, 2016-2022
  • Joint Manhattan-Riley County Law Enforcement Board (statutory governing body for Riley County Police Department), January 2019-2020 and Chair in 2021 & 2022
  • Wildcat Creek Flood Resiliency Committee, 2018-Present
  • Manhattan Rotary Club, 2015-Present
  • Manhattan/Riley County League of Women Voters - long-time member and board member, vice president, treasurer, secretary and served on numerous issue-oriented initiatives, 1994-2015; membership continues to Present
  • Riley County Genealogical Society member, 2013-Present
  • Manhattan/Riley County Preservation Alliance, member, 2013-Present
  • Manhattan Library Association, the Friends of the Library, 2013-Present
Past Community Service:

  • Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, 2018 & 2022
  • Tri-Chair, Region Reimagined Steering Committee, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, 2018
  • Workforce Development and Small Business Committees, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, 2017-2019
  • Leadership Kansas, 2016
  • Riley County Council on Aging, 2014-2019
  • Big Blue River Public Action Working Group, (Joint Manhattan/Riley County/Pottawatomie County project), 2014-2020
  • Manhattan Public Library Board of Directors, 2017-2018 and 2022
  • Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board (three terms) - 1995-1998 and 2009-2015, chair 1 year
  • K-177 Gateway to Manhattan Plan Steering Committee, 2009-2010
  • "Spirit of Martin Luther King Community Service Award" Selection Committee- chair 6 years, 2007-2014
  • VISION 2025 Riley County Land Use Plan, 2006-2009
  • Sydney Carlin's Legislative Campaign Committee, volunteer coordinator, 2002-2015
  • Manhattan-Special Committee on Economic Development, 2000-2001
  • Joint City/County "Project Impact" Flood Mitigation Steering Committee, 1998-2002
  • Clean Cities Stakeholders Group, 1997-1998
  • Flint Hills Job Corps Center, Community Relations Council - 1996-2002, chair 3 years
  • Sustainable Manhattan - Community Advisory Board, 1996-1999
  • Manhattan Martin Luther King Planning Committee, 1994-2014
  • Manhattan NAACP Chapter, 1994-1995
  • Manhattan Board of Zoning Appeals, 1984-1995
  • American Businesswomen's Association, 1975-1990
  • Kansas State University Commission on the Status of Women, 1975-2000
Recognitions for service in the Community:

  • Edith L. Stunkel Good Government Award, recipient
  • Spirit of Martin Luther King Community Service Award, recipient
  • 2015 Wonder Women of Manhattan by K-State College of Education, recipient
  • 1990 Employee of the Year, Kansas State University, recipient
  • 1991 Manhattan Rotary Club, Service Award - Public Sector, recipient